RICHES IN PROSPECT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 31 October 1938, Page 5

RICHES IN PROSPECT

JAPAN’S ANTICIPATIONS

CALL ON RAW MATERIALS FROM CHINA.

HOPES OF AMPLE SUPPLIES.

By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright. TOKIO, October 29.

The Japanese hitherto have been a “have not” nation but will be one of the greatest “haves” as the result of the economic bloc which is being established between Japan, Manchukuo and China, declares the “Nichi Nichi Shimbun.”

Manchukuo is increasing her output of minerals and. with Korea, can over-supply Japan’s requirements of 23,000,000 tons of iron ore in the next five years, the paper adds. There are also iron ores in North China and the Yangtse Valley, while coal deposits in China, including 1z<,000,000,000 tons in Shansi, in addition to Japanese and Manchukuo supplies, will meet Japan’s demands for 240,000,000 tons during the next three years. Shantung will largely supnly the Japanese requirements for salt hitherto imported and China will be able to develop cotton-growing. The wool output in Manchukuo and North China can easily be increased to meet Japan’s needs. 1 NO CHANGE IN POLICY. Mr Hachiro Arita, in an interview, said that Japan’s foreign policy in China would not be changed. She would act with a view to minimising international friction. Mr Arita is a former Japanese Ambassador to China. General Hata, commanding rhe Japanese expeditionary forces in Central China, interviewed by lhe “Domei” news agency, stated: "Although General Chiang Kai-shek lost thirty divisions, one half of the central troops under his own command in the defence of Hankow, the lo?s of which reduced hie regime to a mere provincial administration, the Japanese will not relax until General Chiang Kai-shek has been completely crushed.” The Japanese claim to have occupied the whole of the Hupeh province, east of the Peking-Hankow railway. REJOICINGS IN TOKIO. A million Tokio citizens last night participated in lantern processions rejoicing in the capture of Hankow and neighbouring cities. They surged in front of the Imperial Palace, where the moving lanterns resembled a sea of flames. The Emperor and Empress and their children stood on the moat bridge for half an hour waving lanterns in response to multitudinous “Banzais.” Japan has protested in the' strongest terms to France requesting the stoppage of the transit of arms to China through French Indo-China. The “Kokumin Shimbun” forecasts another deadlock in the AngloJapanese conversations unless Britain reconsiders her attitude and suggests that Mr Shigemitsu should directly negotiate with Mr Chamberlain.